1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gaming and to card games. More particularly, the present invention relates to a card game called "Newjack" in which a number of players play against one another or against a "house".
2. The Prior Art
Numerous card games are known in the prior art. Some card games are predominantly games of skill, in which a player's skill significantly increases his or her chance of winning. Other card games are predominantly games of chance in which winning or losing depends on the random chance of a certain card being turned rather than on the skill of the player.
There are three wagering formats common in card games involving wagering. The first is known as wagering against the house (the Nevada model). The second is wagering for a common pool (the Poker model). The third format comprises wagering against a designated player (the California model).
In Nevada, most wagering is against the casino. In blackjack, for example, each player is dealt a hand, and a hand is dealt for the casino. If the player loses, the casino collects the money. If the player wins, the casino pays the player. The casino makes money when the players lose more than they win.
This type of wagering is currently illegal in states such as California, due to a statutory prohibition of "banking" games. Under present California law, the gaming establishment can hold no interest in the outcome of a wager.
In poker, the players never wager against the house. They are playing against each other. All the wagers are placed in a common pool (the pot), and the player with the best hand wins all the money wagered on that deal.
In Poker type games, the gaming establishment makes money by taking a "Collection." This is a fee collected by the gaming establishment either for each hand or for each half-hour of play. In Nevada, the collection may be a fixed amount or a percentage of the pool. In California, the collection must be a fixed amount (except for pari-mutual horse racing). A typical collection could be $1 for each hand, charged to each player. A typical time collection might be $8 per half hour for a poker game where the bets and raises are limited to $30. In California this method of wagering is mostly used for poker and pan (a form of rummy).
Pai Gow, a Chinese wagering game played with tiles, introduced a new wagering model to California. It is something of a hybrid between the other two models. For each hand one of the players is designated the "Dealer," and all of the other players are trying to beat the "Dealer."
On every hand dealt, each player is trying to beat the Dealer. If the player beats the Dealer, the player wins and is paid off from the Dealer's wager. If the Dealer has a better hand than the player, the Dealer wins the player's wager.
Each player has the option to play the role of Dealer. Typically, a player is Dealer for two hands. Then the option is offered to the next player on the left who can become Dealer or pass the option on. There are other equivalent ways to handle the Dealer option with respect to direction of pass (i.e., rotate to the right, etc) and duration of Dealer status (i.e., one, three, or more hands).
The Dealer is not bound by any table limit. The Dealer frequently bets enough to cover the bet of all the players at the table. However, the Dealer is not required to make any bet other than the table minimum.
On every hand, dice are shaken and the order of payoffs is determined. This decides how the wagers are settled if the Dealer is not wagering enough money to cover all the bets made by the other player. An alternative method is to always start payoffs with the player on the Dealer's left.
The Dealer does not actually deal the cards or settle wagers the way a Nevada blackjack dealer would. These functions are handled by a gaming establishment employee, commonly called the "House Dealer." Throughout this document, the term "Dealer" will refer to the player, against whom the others are wagering. The term "House Dealer" will refer to the gaming establishment employee who actually deals the cards and runs the game.
Numerous states have restrictions on the legality of card games. For example, California gaming law has several restrictions on which card games are legal. Certain games are prohibited. Banking games are among the games which are prohibited. Games that are not predominately games of skill are also prohibited.
One of the games specifically prohibited is the well-known game entitled "blackjack" or "21", referred to previously. Blackjack is a card game played against a house dealer in which each player tries to achieve a total card value of equal to or less than 21 but more than the total value of the cards dealt to the dealer. Numbered cards are worth their face number. Aces are worth either 1 or 11 and picture cards are worth 10. Two cards are initially dealt to each player including the dealer. Each player can request one or more additional cards. Any hand with a total value of over 21 loses. The dealer (the house) wins any ties.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an enjoyable card game.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a card game which may be legally played in some states having legal gaming restrictions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a card game which may be legally played in some states having legal gaming restrictions against banking type games.